Robert N. Klieger is nationally recognized as a go-to litigator and trusted advisor to media and entertainment clients. He resolves high-stakes disputes in a broad array of matters, including copyright, trademark, profit participation, licensing, and shareholder derivative suits, for clients in the motion picture, television, and video game industries. Key clients include The Walt Disney Company, Lions Gate Entertainment, Amazon Studios, Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, National Amusements, Shari Redstone, Intrivo Diagnostics, and Loeb & Loeb LLP. His matters are regularly featured in mainstream and industry publications, including Fortune, The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Variety.
Among his accolades, Mr. Klieger has been named “Entertainment Litigation Attorney of the Year” by Benchmark Litigation and has repeatedly been recognized on The Hollywood Reporter’s “Power Lawyers” list and Variety’s “Legal Impact Report.” He’s also been honored as an Entertainment Law “MVP” by Law 360 and as a leading lawyer in Media and Entertainment and General Commercial Litigation by Chambers.
Notably, Mr. Klieger served as lead counsel for media mogul Sumner M. Redstone in one of the most dramatic and high-stakes entertainment industry showdowns in decades. The battle for control of Mr. Redstone’s $40 billion media empire played out in a series of high-profile legal proceedings in the courts of Delaware, Massachusetts, and California that garnered front page news globally. Through across-the-board victories in these actions, Mr. Klieger helped restore Mr. Redstone’s control of Viacom and cleared the way for sweeping changes in the management and strategic direction of the company.
Mr. Klieger’s recent successes include obtaining summary judgment for various subsidiaries of The Walt Disney Company in a multimillion-dollar trademark infringement and unfair competition action involving Toy Story 3, successfully resolving claims on behalf of Dark Castle Entertainment with respect to the Tales from the Crypt horror anthology, successfully resolving claims filed against Amazon Studios by Woody Allen and his production company after Amazon terminated its motion picture deal with Mr. Allen in the wake of the #MeToo movement, and obtaining a trial victory in a complex partnership dispute involving the heirs of the founders of Malibu.
In addition to his litigation engagements, Mr. Klieger regularly advises motion picture studios, broadcast and cable television networks, and video game publishers in connection with a wide variety of intellectual property, privacy, and contract issues. He is frequently consulted in connection with the negotiation and drafting of complex motion picture licensing and distribution agreements.
Updated Sep 2024
